Microsoft's Surface line of products are well-liked by a majority of the users and the company is also completely invested in making the series popular as well as efficient. However, a recent Consumer Report survey discovered that the Microsoft Surface devices, like the Surface Book and the Surface Pro 4, may have left many customers dissatisfied with the products. According to a report from UberGizmo, a leaked memo from the Redmond-based company reveals that the Consumer Report assertion may be closer to the truth than many would believe.
What does the leaked memo reveal?
Even though Microsoft vehemently defended its Surface products and said that the return rates for these devices were not as high as the folks at Consumer Reports had estimated, the leaked memo reveals that many customers did indeed return the Surface devices. The chart in the memo shows that the return rates for the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 were the highest during the launch phase.
In the case of the Surface Book, the return rates were as high as 17 percent during the launch period but declined to around 10 percent six months after the launch. The Surface Pro 4 showed a similar return rate of 16 percent during launch, which then decreased to around 11 percent after six months.
The return rate has remained at a steady 6 percent for the device's lifetime.
Microsoft has been retailing the Surface Book device for two years now. Within this time, it has become the Surface product with the greatest percentage of returns from customers. The company has specifically made some changes after adhering to consumer complaints and feedback.
In the memo, Microsoft reveals that it is these changes to the Surface Book that has made return rates decline. The company is also planning to share certain strengths of the Surface products with its marketing teams so that Microsoft can repair some of the damage caused by the Consumer Reports data.
What did Consumer Report find?
In the latest survey conducted by the non-profit Consumer Report, it was discovered that out of 90,000 Surface device users, almost 25 percent claimed that they had faced some issues with the products within two years of having purchased them. Many complained of the poor build quality and technical issues that are prevalent in these devices. This led Consumer Reports to remove the Surface products from its recommended list of devices that a person must own.
Microsoft defended its products and said that it disagreed with the assertions made by Consumer Reports. The company claimed that the returns were nowhere near as high as was indicated by the report. However, the leaked memo does reveal many problems were faced by Surface users after the launch.
